Paper Flowers
by bleary bey
Summary: Edward Cullen is more than excited to find out that Forks High is having a special activity for Valentines Day! . . . Yeah right. With one persistent ex-girlfriend, a reluctantly picked Valentine, and one newly realized best friend, the love is bound to be shared, right? Just a little fic about changes and love . . . AH
1. Valentine Virus

"Okay!" Jessica Stanley bellowed into her microphone, causing all chatter in the gym to stop.

"Stanley looks way too happy to be there," Jasper noted.

Emmett snorted. "Jessica Stanley's life has led to this moment, being President of the Party Planners."

"She's President of the Student Activities Committee," Edward corrected, rubbing a hand over his eyes. He hated these types of events. All of the seniors were compiled into the school gymnasium awaiting the latest harebrained idea from the school's planning committee that admittedly, just planned parties or dances.

This was especially awful because he knew for a fact that this was pertaining to the upcoming holiday, Valentine's Day. That meant plenty of girls either bragging about how many hearts and teddy bears they got, or the others crying in the bathroom because they didn't get a single candy heart asking them to 'be mine.'

Now Jessica was standing in front of her senior classmates, holding up a giant poster with pink and red and sparkles and what looked like a cupid.

"Now guys," she started. "I know you all know what is coming up soon . . . Valentine's Day!"

A few girls cheered, a few guys groaned, both earning equal eye rolls and laughs. Edward just shoved his face farther into his hands.

"People we have exactly fourteen days till V-Day. That means we have fourteen days to have the most amazing Valentine's Day in the history of any high school . . . ever!" Jessica smiled wildly. Her brown curls bounced as she moved to behind the podium that had been brought out, and presented two boxes. "In these boxes are the names of every student here. We have exactly twenty-five girls, and twenty-boys. So every boy will pick a girl, and every girl will pick a boy, and that's your Valentine!" Jessica took a deep breath. "Your _only _Valentine."  
Suddenly girls were screeching.

"But I can only get one Valentine?"

"So _my_ boyfriend might have to by some other girl an 'I love you card?'"

Jasper chuckled. "It's madness."

Emmett frowned. "I think Rose is gonna be pissed."

Jasper gasped. "Shoot, I forgot about Alice."

"CALM DOWN!" Jessica screamed. "Okay listen! You aren't going to know who gave the Valentine to you, and you don't have to find out if you don't want to. It's like Secret Santa! And this way, everyone has a Valentine!" Jessica winked. "And who knows, maybe you'll meet your own personal Prince Charming!"

The girls were calming down. Edward watched in amazement as they went from angry to dreamy. And then he watched in horror as a few of them turned and looked at him, his ex-girlfriend Tanya included.

"Holy crap," Edward whispered. "This has disaster written all over it." He could see it now, some girl he has to give a Valentine to, _thinking he was in love with them_. "Oh God."

"Basically everyone is going to fill out a little survey and give some information about themselves, and then the person who picks your name will get your info, and give you a Valentine." She smiled. "Don't worry this doesn't affect the Senior dance. You can still go with whomever you want." A few sighs of relief filtered through the gym. "In fact, you can even find out who your Valentine is at the dance!" She picked up a stack of bright pink paper and began handing them out. Instead of the microphone she just yelled a bit louder. "All you have to do is go up to one of our Student Activity Committee members, tell them your name and viola!"

Edward stared at the pink flyer in his hand. It contained information about the dance and about the Valentine crap that was now buzzing amongst his classmates.

"All we have to do now is pick names!" Jessica rattled the boxes. "Who's first?"

Everyone fell silent. It was odd, Edward thought, that everyone was so excited about the dumb idea yet no one was willing to walk a few feet and pick a name. Vanity, he figured. Everyone wanted someone amazing, popular, beautiful, and yet the idea of getting someone who did not meet their standards sent them into such fear that they refused to pick a damn name.

He decided he should take the first step, when someone else did, and in a much more amusing way than he did.

"I guess I volunteer as tribute," a voice hollered. Edward looked to see Isabella Swan, Bella, standup and stumble her way to the front. He couldn't help but grin. Bella had become a pretty good friend of his over the last semester when they shared the blow-off class of the century, (for them anyway), woodshop.

He watched her go down to the gym floor. Bella was a pretty out casted girl. She was the daughter of the police chief, which turned a lot of people off. While Edward actually thought she was extremely pretty, others considered her plain. That may have something to do with the fact that he had the pleasure of seeing her inner beauty. Before senior year he probably would have said the same thing to anyone that she was plain and non-extraordinary. It was something he can't believe he ever thought.

"Yes!" Jessica squealed. "Thank you Bella! Way to be a team sport!"

Bella plucked a piece of paper from the boys box and walked right out of the gym.

Edward snickered. _She literally did that so she could leave. Wait, that's a good freaking idea. _"I'll go!" He called, marching down the floor.

People filed in after him, not that he noticed. He was too far down the hallway to care.

Once he was in a fairly secluded area, he carefully unraveled the paper that he had so hastily tore from the box, and groaned. _This can't be good._

_ Lauren Mallory._

**- VDAY-**

Edward plopped down in his seat for his last class. Woodshop, as it would have it. This class so far had been he and Bella in a class full of freshmen and sophomores. Mr. Randolph didn't even care what they did, so long Bella didn't nail herself to anything. Which she did, the first day of class, when she accidentally nailed her sweater into a nearby two-by-four.

Edward laughed so much he cried.

Mr. Randolph was talking about the next project, something about creating a special box.

Bella walked into class just before the tardy bell. She sat next to Edward with a sigh. "Cullen I have beef."

Edward bit back a smile. This is how most of their conversations started. "With whom?"

"Jessica Stanley."

Edward nodded. "That's understandable. However I do believe I deserve a backstory."

"Well," she said, neither of them even pretending to listen to their shop teacher. "After I so graciously picked the first name from the box, she got so pissed at me that she almost ripped my hair out."

"Why?" He asked. He was smiling because Bella was known for using very large hand gestures, and at the moment she was hitting the desk to emphasize her point.

"Apparently the person I picked from the box was meant for someone else. They marked a name, so a particular cheerleader would get the name of a particular boy."

Edward's eyebrows shot up. "You're kidding."

"It's the whole reason behind the 'secret' Valentine thing. They planned it together." She turned her face to the side, shaking her head.

"Wait," he murmured. "What is that?"

On Bella's cheek was a large red mark, that was quickly turning . . . purple? _A bruise? On her face?_

Bella's hand shot up, her face turning red with one of the familiar blushes that seemed fewer and farther between the closer Edward and Bella got. "Um, I fell."

While this isn't too farfetched for clumsy Bella, the way she avoided his eyes made him think differently. "Bella we're friends right?"

She turned to him, puzzled. "Uh, yeah?"

"Not good enough," he declared. "Bella, are we friends?"

Bella's face filled with some emotion Edward couldn't pinpoint. "Honestly?"

He stared at her, gaining nerves. They _were_ friends, right? "Yes, honestly."

She sighed, rubbing a hand on her face. "This is really embarrassing." Another sigh. "Okay. Edward, you are probably my _best friend._"

Her words left him speechless. He considered their impromptu friendship.

When Edward first met Bella, well, _really_ met her, she was very shy. She blushed furiously just about anytime they spoke. He didn't think much of her. Just another girl in Forks, Washington. Nothing special. But when Mr. Randolph paired them together for a small project, he realized how wrong he was. Bella was quirky, happy, and fun to be around. She had so much sarcasm in her body it had to make up about ninety percent of mind. She was a quick wit, she was creative, she didn't just act like an airheaded idiot every time she spoke and if he was being completely honest . . . she was probably his favorite person in Forks.

"You want to know something I _don't _think is embarrassing?" He leaned in, smiling softly. "You're my best friend too."

She pulled back, a smile gracing her face. "No kidding?" She quirked her brow, running a hand through her long dark hair. "I thought it was Jasper . . . or Emmett?"

He shrugged. "They're great guys and yes the they're my friends, but I'm myself around you."

Bella smiled so brightly Edward wondered if it would be impossible to keep it there forever. Then, she said, "You do realize we are being really weird by talking about this in the corner of woodshop, right?"

And _that_'s why they were best friends.

"Okay, now seriously," he put his hands on her shoulders. "Best friend to best friend, what is wrong with your face?"

She feigned hurt. "Are you calling me ugly, Cullen?"

He rolled his eyes. "Swan, don't change the subject."

"Fine," she huffed. "I may have mouthed off a little bit to Jessica. And then to the girls who originally came up with the plan. And then one of them slapped me."

His jaw hit the floor. "They _slapped you_?" He was incredulous. "Over a guy?" He reached over and carefully touched her bruising cheek. "How freaking hard did they slap you?"

"They may have also . . . thrown some things."

"God!" He exclaimed. "Who the hell did it?"

He'd never thought of hitting a girl before, until that moment.

"I'm not going to tell you."

His eyes widened. "What? Why not?"

"Because you are going to go crazy and I'd rather that not happen."

"Bella please-"

"Edward," she said, finality ringing in her voice. "Please just leave it alone. As newly instated best friends, this is your first favor to me."

Edward frowned, shook his head, and sighed. "I hope to God that the guy they slapped you over was worth it."

Bella smiled a secret smile. "I think he is."

* * *

So basically I'm gaining inspiration from my own school-going experiences and because it's close to Valentine's Day, it was just one of those ideas that I couldn't help but get down.

I really hope you like it . . . like your own personal Valentine :)

This little story won't be extremely long, but it might last a little past V-Day . . . but consider it my Valentine to you guys!

Reviews are almost better than Edward picking your name in a box of Valentines.

Almost.

Review your loves and your hates!

Wishing you all heart-shaped cookies of goodness -

bleary bey


	2. Change of Heart

Edward pulled up to the school the morning of the ever fateful Valentine's Day. He'd literally spent the last two weeks not really doing anything except watch Bella fail at gluing together a wooden box during shop.

Edward walked into the building and was bombarded with red and pink. Pink hearts hung from the ceiling, red cupids on lockers, and worst of all, at the end of the hallway people were filing into the theater, where Principal Greene gave his usual speech. That meant they were going in that room for some reason, and from the way Jessica stood at the door, chattering excitedly, it couldn't be good.

As he approached, she smiled. He gave her an icy glare, still not having forgiven her for the incident with Bella. Jessica didn't notice.

"Hey Edward! Just go on in! We're passing out valentines today!" Her hair bounced with her movement, making her look like a small child.

Edward grunted and pushed past her. The entire school seemed to have beaten him because it appeared that the whole student body was already seated. He spotted Emmett and Jasper and the other guys sitting close to the back, causing a ruckus. Heaving, a sigh he started towards them, until he glanced at the front.

There sat Bella with headphones in her ears a book in her hand and Angela Weber at her side. Edward quickly checked to see if the guys had seen him before he quickly ran down to the front, plopping into the seat right next to Bella on the front row.

She glanced up, her brown eyes wide in surprise. Then she smiled. "Hey Cullen," she greeted, pulling one of her earphones out.

Edward boldly snatched the dangling speaker and placed it into his own ear. He listened for a second before smiling.

"Really Bella? You're listening to the Black Eyed Peas right now?"

She shrugged. "What? I was in the mood! _Imma be, Imma be, Imma Imma Imma be-" _she rapped, moving her hands about. "What Edward? Do you _not_ think I'm Fergalicious? Because I am."

"Of course you are Bella," he muttered, chuckling.

"So," Bella said, glancing at him. "Who do you hope your valentine is?"

He thought for a moment. "I can tell you who I hope it's not." She nodded, encouraging him. "I _really_ hope it's not Jessica or Tanya."

Bella snickered. "That'd be awful. Having to by a valentine for the ex . . ." She laughed again.

"Who do you hope yours is?" He wondered, teasingly bumping her shoulder.

Over the last couple weeks Edward and Bella had become even closer. Edward felt like he knew Bella better than anyone, including people he'd known for years. They showed each other what no one else would show, their true personality. Edward had been more of himself with her than he had ever been with even Emmett and Jasper. Sure, they tolerated his occasional weirdness, but it was as if Bella _embraced_ it. She egged him on, letting him go on about the random documentaries he loved to watch on discovery. He never felt like he was boring her.

However during their bonding time as best friends, neither had revealed who they were buying valentines for. Edward secretly hoped that Bella had picked his name for the sole reason that he wouldn't mind getting one from her. And he'd bought her a little something, anyway. His mother convinced him to after he told her about his new friend, to which Esme was so excited to see Edward opening up to someone. So that's how Edward ended up buying Bella a ridiculously cheesy sign that says, 'My favorite kind of shop doesn't sell clothes' with little construction tools around it. Inside joke mixed with fond memories mixed with what Edward knew would make Bella laughed, and how he loved making her laugh.

Now, however, she was frowning. "I have no idea who I would hope for my valentine to be." She pursed her lips. "Oh! Maybe Eric Yorkie! His mom makes amazing brownies." Bella sighed dreamily. "I had to go to his house once for an English project, and I swear, it was the most amazing experience of my life."

"You want your valentine based off the brownies he may or may not give you?" Edward wondered, amused.

"Heck yeah I do."

He shook his head.

"Hi!" Jessica's voice rang out, her standing behind a small podium. "Can you guys here me? Kay! Good!" She bounced again.

"Why is she always so bubbly?" Edward queried lazily.

Bella shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe she is making up for the complete lack of enthusiasm that I show. Oh my gosh, Jessica is my alter ego," she groaned.

Edward chuckled.

"So I am very happy to say that our Senior Valentine exchange was a _total_ success. Everyone filled out their survey on time, and everyone turned in their gifts on time. So we're going to pass those out now, while we talk a little about the Valentine's Day Dance."

While her cronies passed out the various gifts to the seniors, Jessica began to explain about how there will be a king and queen of hearts which everyone voted for at the end of their survey blah, blah, blah. Seniors were going to show up, dance, and drink non-alcoholic beverages.

An overly smug girl walked up with a red bag and handed it to Bella. "Happy V-Day!"

Bella snorted. "Thanks."

She carefully looked at the bag, Edward watching her curiously. She pulled out the heart-covered tissue paper. She pulled out a stuffed monkey and she 'aww'd appropriately. Then she pulled out some type of heart-shaped pastry. _Brownies._

Bella squealed. "Oh my gosh!" She grabbed one from the bag, the heart covered in pink frosting. She took a bite, then moaned. "Try this," she whispered, holding out a brownie to Edward's lips. He cautiously took a bite, and smiled.

"Those are damn good brownies," he murmured, knowing his language would set her off.

"Language," she muttered, slapping him half-heartedly. A different girl approached them and handed Edward his valentine.

Inside was a very expensive looking necklace that had his basketball number dangling from it. Accompanying it was candy, a small stuffed bear, and a note. It had printed on the front, _open at the dance._

Staring at the necklace, Edward looked around for anyone who might be watching him open his gift. All of the girls were oohing and awing over flowers and candy hearts. He turned back to the platinum in his hand. It was . . . extravagant. Overly so. And it made him uncomfortable. What does he even do with this? It was nice, but he wasn't really a man jewelry kind of guy.

"Holy moly!"

Edward turned to see Bella staring at his new necklace with a look of incredulity and disgust. "I know," he agreed.

"You like it?" She wondered, watching him closely.

He scratched his head. "It's . . . nice I guess. It's not me, though."

Bella smiled softly. "That's exactly what I was thinking."

"So I guess I'm not the great guy that you got slapped for?" Edward teased.

"You wish Cullen," came her snarky reply.

- VDAY -

During woodshop Edward literally spent the whole time convincing Bella to go to the dance. He didn't want to go really either, but Alice was practically forcing him. He didn't think Alice realized that his friends were all paired off in couples and he didn't want to be the odd man out. But at least with Bella there he would have someone to talk to.

And okay, who wouldn't want their best friend with them?

"_Please?_" He begged for the thousandth time. "Pretty please? Bella come on! You know you want to go, at least a little."

Bella continued to hammer a nail into her absolute disaster of a jewelry box. "Edward I don't dance. Have you ever seen me at any dance?"

Edward thought back to the countless dances he and Tanya had attended together. Sadly he didn't think he would have known if Bella was there even if she was. Instead of saying that he shook his head.

"Exactly," she continued. "I'm uncoordinated and I don't have a date and I can't keep flowers alive."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Are you talking about that stupid rose thing?"

Part of the dance was giving the person your dancing with at midnight a rose. Every guy got one at the beginning of the night and gave it to the girl that got the privilege of being his last dance. It was sweet and romantic. Or that's what Alice said when she described the debacle.

"Yes! How 'romantic' would that be if I got a dumb rose, and then it died the next day?  
"Wait," Edward mock gasped. "You _aren't_ a world-class gardener?"

She slapped his shoulder. "No. I couldn't even keep a freaking weed alive when I was seven. I told my mom it was my flower, so we bought a little pot and put it in my room, with the weed, and it _died_, Edward. My weed died."

"Did you at least get a good blunt out of it?"

She didn't even crack a smile. "You're impossible."

The bell rang. The class emptied and Bella was out like a shot, grabbing her bag and making a bee-line for the door. Edward followed her, amazed that someone with such short legs could move so fast.

"Come on Bella! It's this dance, then prom. Do you really want to miss the last two dances of your high school career?"

"Yes."

Edward groaned. "Bella-"

"I don't even have a dress!" She exclaimed, stopping any rebuttal Edward was fixing to make. She continued to walk until they both stood by her ancient truck.

Edward pouted. His bottom lip shoved out, making a face that Tanya once called adorable.

Bella stared at him. "Why are you looking at me like a baby who just crapped his pants?"

Edward's mouth dropped in shock before he started laughing. Hard.

It took him a few minutes to recover when he finally said, "Bella I really want you to go!" And he really did.

Bella looked away, chewing her bottom lip. Edward watched the lip between her teeth, and he lightly reached up to pull it out. She turned to him in surprise. Then she gave him a small grin. "Okay, I guess I can go. For you."

"Oh thank God," he whisper-yelled. He wrapped her in a hug, squeezing too-tight. "You're the bestest friend ever Bella Swan."

"I won't be a good friend if I'm dead because you freaking suffocate me!" She gasped, shoving against his embrace as he just laughed at her struggles. When she finally pulled away she poked him in the chest. "I have something for you anyway," she admitted sheepishly. "A valentine."

Edward smirked. "Good. Then we're even."

"You know," she said, getting into her truck. "Being friends with you is starting to take a toll on my nervous system. If I die of embarrassment tonight because I trip into the love themed snack table, I'm totally blaming you."

"I'll keep you safe," he promised.

Bella rolled her eyes. "My freakin' hero."

"See you at seven!" He yelled as she backed out.

_She can't keep flowers alive, _he thought. _She probably wouldn't have like a huge bouquet of roses like all the other girls . . . she would like something different. Permanent yet beautiful. _

Then, he had an idea.

He smiled.

- VDAY -

Alice Brandon had been one of Edward's friends for as long as he could remember. While she as obsessed with clothes, she wasn't like all the other girls. She didn't care about peoples physical looks, just what they put on those looks. When Edward told her that Bella and he were going to the dance, she all but screamed in excitement.

"I can't wait!" She yelled from the backseat of his car. He was giving Alice and Emmett a ride home, considering the opposite twins were both grounded from their respective vehicles. They liked to race.

Emmett was whooping in the passenger seat. "Go Ed! You know I always knew Swan was a cool girl. From the moment she face-planted in front of me in gym, and then laughed, I knew she was special."

Edward shook his head. "You're both crazy."

Alice raised her perfectly groomed eyebrows. "So what do you think Tanya will say about this?"

"I don't care." Edward shrugged.

"She might murder Bella," Emmett warned. "With her talons!" He made his hands into claws and pretended to slash his own throat.

"Her nails aren't _that_ long," Alice interrupted.

Emmett cringed. "They still freak me out though."

Edward quietly agreed, thinking of Tanya's preferred nails. Fake, red, plastic.

Once he got to the Brandon house the twins hopped out, Alice turning to Edward and said, "Can't wait to see you and Bella! You have to formally introduce us!"

She ran away before he could answer.

- VDAY -

At 6:50 Edward was pulling up to the Swan house, suit on, present wrapped, surprise hidden.

He took a shaky breath, suddenly nervous. Not really about Bella. He was too comfortable around her to be too nervous. But he was nervous about what her father, the chief of police, would think. From what Bella has said of her mother she is an easy woman to get along with. He grabbed the present and strode to the house, not wanting to spend anymore time freaking out.

Once he knocked on the door, he realized something though.

He _was_ nervous about Bella.

_What is she going to think of me? What if she's pissed I pushed her into coming? Who is she even going to dance with? She will dance with me, right?_

Some of his thoughts didn't make sense. What did he care if she spent the night dancing with other guys?

Evidently, he cared a lot.

But when she opened the door, wearing a soft pink dress that made her already pink cheeks compliment her skin, and her carefully put up hair hung in a few dark curls around her face, he felt himself relax.

Her dress reached to the knee, it had long sleeves and a band around the waist, showing off her figure. She blushed a darker red, and smiled shyly. "Hey," she whispered.

Edward smiled wildly, giving her a tight hug, waving to the man and woman smiling at him in the stairway. He turned to ear and whispered, "Don't have a dress my a-"

"LANGUAGE!"

* * *

So this is after Valentine's Day, but whatever. I still like it and I hope you do too.

I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you keep reading and I hope that you see this as my own personal valentine to you guys, because I love y'all.

Almost as much as heart-shaped brownies with icing.

Me thinks me just drooled.

Please, please, please, REVIEW! They would be like you sending me icing covered brownies

- bleary bey


	3. Memories and Futures and Love

Bella loved her gift. In fact she laughed so hard she cried while her parents each took turns speaking to Edward. Chief Swan, who Edward had always believed to be a bit intimidating, was very welcoming and kind. Although he did mention something about Bella owning pepper-spray. Renee, as she laughingly told him to call her, was kind and gushed over how Edward had to be some kind of amazing to be able to convince Bella to go to a dance.

He watched as Bella regarded the sign with pride before she dashed up the stairs, proclaiming to know the perfect spot. Edward followed, curious to see what her room looked like. It was messy, but an organized messy, as if she hadn't had enough time to clean it in a long time. She had a small bed with a quilt that looked handmade. He walked over to it as Bella was already hanging the sign above her desk. He traced the lines, noticing that the patches were of photos.

Little Bella at the lake with her dad; Renee and Charlie's wedding photo; countless Christmas pictures and goofy pictures and happy moments. One picture of Bella, Edward noticed, was of her in a hospital bed, a sarcastic smirk on her seemingly bruised body.

_When did that happen?_

"You like it?" Bella asked.

Edward turned to see her regarding him with dancing eyes.

"I do," he answered, turning back to the quilt. "Did you make it?"

"No, my Gran did. She passed away a few months ago, but she told me to keep adding on." Bella stood beside him. "She said that our happy memories brought us comfort, so she put our memories onto something that literally comforts us."

"Wow . . . That's deep."

Bella laughed at his awe-struck face.

"Bella?" Edward was still staring at that picture of her in the hospital bed.

"Yeah?"

"What's up with this picture?" He pointed.

Bella sighed. Edward finally looked at her to see a look of hesitation. "I'm surprised you don't know." She winced. "Well, I'm not really _surprised_. Hopeful, I guess, that you would know."

Edward frowned. He mentally searched for any kind of incident that landed anyone in the town of Forks in the hospital. And he couldn't thing of . . . anything. Except Tyler Crowley's crash last year when his van hit a patch of ice and spun out of control. Edward hadn't been there, but he'd gotten pulled out of class to go to the hospital. Literally every student was in the waiting room, girls crying, guys freaking out. Tyler ended up being fine, although everyone from school camped out in the ER for the whole day. The student body of Forks cared about its occupants.

"I can't think of anything," he admitted, quietly.

"You remember last year when Tyler got into that crash in the parking lot?"

_Strange_. "I was just thinking about that actually. It's like the only thing that's happened in the past five years that's been worth anyone's attention." He scratched his head. "What does that have to do with you?"

Bella gave him a look, like _come on_. "Edward, who do you think he _hit?"_

Edward gasped. "No," he whispered, shaking his head. "No, no, no." He continued to shake his head furiously. "They said no one was hurt!"

She smirked in a way that let him know she found nothing about what she was saying amusing. "In a way, 'no one' _was_ hurt."

Edward stared at her, then the picture. The girl in the picture was smiling, but she very well shouldn't be. Purple face, casted arms and legs, and now that he looked closely, a bandage on her head. _Her head_.

"But it looks so bad," he murmured. He glanced up, quickly examining her face. He found a scar, a really long, scary looking scar, from the back of her jaw line up and into her hair. Edward let his hand trace the faint scar with his eyes wide and his hand shaking. "Bella what happened?"

Bella looked down sheepishly. "He hit the ice and spun out. Then his big-as-Texas van right into my truck, that I was standing in front of." Bella looked at the fabric photo. "I broke my leg in four places, my arm in two, I broke three ribs, and I had a killer concussion. They had to cut my hair short."

He just stared.

"Now you see why I don't go to dances," she teased. "The people don't like me."

"I can't freaking believe it," Edward exclaimed. "I mean I just can't fuc-"

"Edward Cullen watch your mouth!"

His head snapped to her. "Bella I am so sorry that our entire school is filled with assholes."

"I just told you to-"

"I don't give a crap-doodle about my language. I've cussed so much since I started high school and I just said crap-doodle for you." He put his hands on his face. Then, with a sense of revelation, he put his hands on _her_ face, cradling her in his large and calloused palms. "Bella I'm so sorry our school is filled with butt-munches who don't give a rat's tail about people who don't wear cheerleading skirts or sports uniforms. And I am so sorry I was one of those people for so long."

Bella looked down again. "It's no big deal."

"It's a big freaking deal. You almost _died_. You almost _died_, Bella." He wrapped his arms around her, yanking her into him. "I almost didn't even get to be your shop partner. And that sucks. That sucks so freaking bad."

Bella sighed heavily and hugged him back. "It doesn't matter you idiot. Besides, Alice Brandon visited me in the hospital. She's nice, so not all of them are A-holes."

Edward grumbled unintelligibly.

They stayed there for a moment before the sound of Renee yelling up the stairs broke them apart. "Kids! You're going to be late!"

Edward and Bella laughed, Edward leaning down to softly kiss her scar. Bella stiffened, shocked.

"Come on," he teased. "I know I'm hot, but I don't think it really warrants paralysis."

Bella snorted. "You wish Cullen."

- VDAY -

They arrived a half hour late. It couldn't be helped once Renee busted out the camera. She was hell-bent on getting an amazing picture, claiming to want to add to the quilt. Once she said that, Edward couldn't help but pose in as many ridiculous poses as he could just to get a rise out of Bella. It worked.

She was still rolling her eyes as she marched in front of him, her white converse, because she said if she wore heels it would be a Valentine massacre, clomping on the ground.

Edward followed, chuckling. "Bella come on, it was funny!"

She swiveled, hands on her hips. "Pretending shoot me with an arrow, in the butt, while my Chief of Police father watches, was most certainly, _not funny._"

"He was laughing."

"Shut. It."

He tugged on her arm. "I loved my gift, by the way."

Bella blushed. She had given him his Valentine right as they were leaving. She had given him the box she had been making in shop, however this one was in much better shape than the one she had been working on in class. And inside was a picture she had snagged from one of the yearbook kids of the two of them making a face at the camera while Bella held a drill to Edward's head.

He loved it.

"You're welcome," she finally responded.

Edward smiled down at her before wrapping a confident arm around her. "Let's go dance."

"That sounds like a tragedy waiting to happen."

The arch they walked through into the gymnasium was like a portal to a world of hearts and pretty and sparkles and girl.

So Edward really shouldn't have been surprised when Bella said, "It looks like Jessica Stanley's vagina threw up in here."

He laughed so hard he almost wet himself.

And of course it would be Alice Brandon to be the first to pounce on them while Edward tried not to pee his pants.

"BELLA!" She squealed/screamed. "I can't believe you're here! You look gorgeous! I love your dress! And your hair!"

Jasper smirked from behind her, nodding at Edward. "We get it Alice, you love Bella." Jasper looked down at Edward's date, then regarded the still chuckling. "You do look great Bella. And kudos for getting Edward to shop up with an expression that doesn't scream 'kill me now.'"

"Thanks Jasper," Bella said, patting Edward's shoulder. "My job is to make sure he looks happy when he's not."

Edward pouted as everyone laughed. Alice grabbed Bella's hand and drug her away, claiming to need a moment of 'girl-time.' Jasper went to the snack table to snag some punch, leaving Edward alone, free to really take in the explosion of hearts that had descended upon their gym.

The couples on the dance-floor were swaying wildly, not really dancing. The music was fast paced, something you might hear at a party. He smiled when he saw Emmett jumping up and down around a stagnate Rosalie. Even though she was trying to look annoyed, her lips were curling into a rare smile.

He wondered briefly if Bella would dance with him.

"Edward?"

Edward took a deep breath before looking toward Tanya, who stood in a long red dress, a bit too low-cut for his tastes. "Hey Tanya."

She shuffled toward him, which was hard to do in her nine-inch heels. "I didn't know you were coming," she said quietly, playfully slapping his arm. "Since, you know."

Edward raised his eyebrows. "You thought that since we broke up, six months ago, that I wouldn't come to this dance?"

Tanya shrugged. "I wasn't sure, I mean, we always came together. And now that we're not . . . it just seems weird. This was _our_ thing."

_What does that mean? Going to a social event that involved music was now _our_ thing?_

She was now giving him her most flirtatious smile, something he had somehow found attractive when he was a freshman. "So do you want to dance?"

"No thanks," he declined politely. "I'm just waiting for my date."

Her head jerked back. She looked like a chicken. "Your . . . your _date?"_

"Yep." Edward glanced over the blonde's shocked face to see a brunette head coming his way. "Here she comes now," he said with a proud smile.

Tanya turned. "Swan? You're here with _Swan?"_

"Hi Tanya!" Alice chirped from Bella's side, her arm linked with the taller, more shocked date of Edward. "You look . . . nice."

Tanya's eyes narrowed, a glare that used to make Edward cringe zeroed in on Bella. "Thanks. So Isabella, you look . . . interesting. Edward tells me you came as his _date._" Edward wanted to just beat on her a little for the way she said 'date' as if it were a cuss word.

Bella smiled brightly. "Thank you so much Tanya! And to think, I almost didn't get to show off this beauty!" She laughed airily before weaving an arm around Edward. "But this sweet guy just wouldn't take no for an answer."

Tanya sneered. Edward rejoiced. Bella was claiming him in her own odd way, and it was amusing to see Tanya so out of her element. Alice was practically buzzing at his side, sending him gleeful looks.

Tanya's eyes brightened suddenly. "But, oh, Bella!" She put a hand daintily to her heart. "I did hear about your little . . . _crush_ on Jacob Black."

Edward tensed. _Jacob Black?_

"Oh?" Bella had a brow quirked.

"Yeah," Tanya giggled. "I heard all about how Leah, _his girlfriend,_ wanted to be his Valentine but you wouldn't switch."

Bella's head cocked to the side. "Really? Did you also hear about how Leah's _not _really his girlfriend and that they've just been fooling around? Or about how there was a rule about switching Valentine's?"

Edward's eyes bounced between the two girls. _This is a little scary. _He glanced a Bella's smirking smug face. _And a little entertaining._

Tanya scoffed. "Please. We all saw that band shirt you got him. Everyone knows he loves Metallica." The blonde leaned forward, giving Edward an eyeful of her blobby mascara. "Don't be embarrassed sweetie. No one blames you for having a little crush."

Bella just shrugged. "At least I didn't force Jane Volt to trade names so I could be my ex's Valentine and give him a ridiculously outrageous gift in the hopes of getting him back." Bella's smirk grew. "No one would stoop to _that_ level of pitiful behavior, right?"

Tanya's face grew red while Edward's morphed. _"You're _the one who got me that necklace?"

"Um, well," Tanya flustered. "I mean yeah! But Eddie, we belong together! I thought maybe if I reminded you of how good we were together you would want to try us again. We belong together!" She pointed a fake red nail at Bella. "And you certainly don't belong with a bitch like _her_."

"Are you crazy?" Alice asked. She had always disliked Tanya. And now was the time to let it loose. "You two were, at best, a train wreck. You basically used him for bragging rights and Instagram likes. Sorry sweetie, your dim-witted attempt at winning him back, it backfired. And Bella is ten times better than you could _ever_ be. Go and lick your wounds now, you glorified Chihuahua!"

Tanya stamped her foot and ran away, leaving Bella and Edward staring at Alice. "Well," Bella said, giggling. "I think I love you Alice."

Alice rolled her eyes. "We'll obviously best friend, but that's beside the point. She really irritates me. Bitch had it coming."

"Language."

Jasper soon came and collected his girlfriend. Edward led a reluctant Bella to the dance floor, where he purposefully made himself look like a fool to make her laugh and relax. After a while she was really getting into it, making him happy.

"So Leah Clearwater was the one to slap you?"

Bella snickered. "Technically it was Irina, but yeah, Leah was the instigator. I've known Jake since we were kids, our dads are friends, and so I know for a fact that Leah practically stalks him." She shrugged. "I had to help a brother out."

Edward shook his head. "You're a little crazy Swan."

"You love me anyway Cullen."

Around 11:30 Emmett and Rosalie were crowned King and Queen of Hearts, Emmett standing on the stage for ten minutes thanking everyone he saw. Rosalie finally got tired of it and yanked him onto the dance floor, all the guys whistling and yelling 'whipped.'

Emmett and Jasper both took turns dancing with Edward's date, and both told him that he needed to stop hogging her. Edward was glad they like her, and he was even gladder Bella like them. She said that while Emmett was a bit overwhelming, he was fun, and that Jasper made her laugh.

It was a great night in the book of Edward Cullen.

The songs had slowed down, and Edward and Bella were swaying to the music, both content. Edward laughed as Bella apologized for the fifteenth time for stepping on his toes.

And then, as in any fairytale, the clock struck twelve, and boys gave their girls roses. Bella smirked at Edward.

"Did you get me a rose I can kill?"

Edward took a breath and pulled a rose from the inside of his jacket. He held it out, holding his breath.

Bella took the flower carefully, staring at it in amazement. "It's . . . it's _paper_."

Edward nodded. The stem was simple green paper wrapped along it over and over until it was sturdy enough to support the weight of the paper petals. The rose itself was made of newspaper, words written in block letters, a few headlines still legible.

"I knew you wouldn't want a _real_ one," he whispered. "Since you can't keep them alive. And this one won't ever die. It'll always be there for you." _Like me_, he thought.

Bella cradled it carefully to her chest. "I love it," she breathed. "It's perfect." She wiped away a few tears that had escaped, laughing softly. "Holy crap," she whimpered. "You are freaking romantic."

"Hey Bella," Edward whispered.

"Yeah?"

"I just want you to know," he leaned forward, putting his hands on her face, "That even though I've been one of those idiots who didn't even notice when you got hit by a frigging van, you are the most amazing person I've ever met. And I'm very happy to call you my friend."

Bella frowned slightly. "You know, you say the word 'friend' a lot. Have you noticed that?"

"Maybe it's because I want to put the word 'girl', in front of it," he murmured, kicking his shoe against the floor. Now he was the bashful one.

He felt Bella's small hand pull his chin up. "Well that's a good coincidence, because I've been wanting to put 'boy' in front of friend myself."

His eyes brightened, his heart beat picked up, and his arms found their way around her waist. "Really?"

She pursed her lips, trying to contain her smile. "Maybe."

He grinned wildly before kissing her forehead, then, ever so softly, her lips. "Happy Valentine's Day Bella."

- VDAY -

"You do realize you're always going to have to get me paper flowers now, right?" Bella asked him on the way to her house.

He rolled his eyes. "Of course! Only the best for you, my flower."

Bella snorted. "Oh my gosh don't even start."

"My paper?" He tried.

"Nope."

He stopped in front of her house and smirked. "You Bella, are my own paper flower, because like a rose you're absurdly beautiful, but like the written word you are complex and unique. I can only hope that I shall get to harness your unique beauty and help it flourish through our relationship."

Bella slapped him. "Shut up you idiot."

Edward grinned. "It's not nice to call your boyfriend an idiot."

She smiled, pecking his lips quickly. "I can call my boyfriend whatever I want."

"But I can't call my girlfriend my Paper Flower?"

Bella cringed. "Hell no!" She gasped and threw a hand over her mouth.

Edward barked out a laugh. "Language!" He yelled, pulling her giggling form into him.

- VDAY -

Edward smiled softly, thinking of all moments he and Bella had added to her quilt. Even some less fond memories that they had felt were necessary, like when Bella fell down a flight of stairs and broke her wrists. Yes, both of them. But this hospital visit Edward was there, and he helped her the whole way through, even feeding her. Not that he minded. And he smiled as he thought of all the memories they would still be adding, especially after tonight.

After the dance they both decided it would be better if they waited before they actually started a relationship, let both of them live college a little. It lasted two years before Bella transferred to U-Dub on a scholarship, and accidently moved into a dorm _right by_ Edward's. They were both very surprised, and Edward saw it as fate.

So as soon as he knew for a fact it was her, he was kissing her.

And he never looked back.

But tonight was special, it was crucial. It was nerve wracking, it was exhilarating.

Bella laughed, punching him from where she sat on the cool grass next to him. "Edward," she called teasingly. "You're missing the show." She gestured to the fireworks Edward was barely aware of.

Bella had only gotten more beautiful with age, and as of right now, Edward couldn't imagine anything else he wanted out of life rather than be with her smiling face. Which is why he pulled out the paper rose he had been hiding behind his back.

Bella gasped, taking it. "Oh Edward!" She swooned, holding it to her. He'd been giving them to her for years and she still gushed every time. Even in her twenty-three year old body her eyes sparkled like the eighteen year old he held so dear.

"Take it apart," he commanded,

"_What_?" she gasped. "No way!"

"Just do it!"

Her eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Just, please?"

So, she did. And once she had begrudgingly taken apart the entire rose, she held up a small yet shining ring, her eyes filling with tears.

Edward took her hands, his own eyes watery. "Bella Swan," he whispered. "I love you so much, and our love is like a paper rose. It's beautiful and strong, but it's also like the written word, unique and never dying. And with that cheesy as crap line," they both giggled, Bella's tears falling down her cheeks. "I ask you the question of the century," he pressed his forehead to hers. "Will you marry me?"

Bella giggled and kissed him. She pulled away and squealed. "Hell yeah I will!"

"Language!" He berated, giving her a swift kiss. Then he brought his fiancé close into his arms and smiled. "Happy Valentine's Day Bella."

fin

- VDAY -

So it's done! I really hope you liked it!

Please tell me what you thought of the story and try to check out the Adventures of the Young and Invisible!

As always, REVIEW! They're like getting a paper flower from Edward!

Jk, they're not _that_ good ;)

- bleary bey


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